Health officials: Illnesses linked to local church BBQ

Health officials say at least nine people have reported illnesses suspected to be salmonella after attending a recent local church barbecue that attracts about 5,000 people each year. (Ben Earp/The Star)

By Jessica Pickens

Published: Tuesday, September 17, 2013 at 06:16 PM.

Health officials say at least nine people have reported illnesses suspected to be salmonella after attending a recent local church barbecue that attracts about 5,000 people each year.

Sandy Plains Baptist Church in Shelby has hosted its barbecue fundraiser for about 50 years, Pastor Garin Hill said.

This year’s event was Sept. 7, and people started reporting illnesses in relation to the barbecue Tuesday, according to a Cleveland County Health Department news release.

Six Cleveland County residents and three Rutherford County residents have reported illnesses, and five people have been hospitalized, according to health officials.

“We don’t know yet how the people got sick,” said DeShay Oliver, coordinator of health services for the health department. “All of the illnesses have the common link of the barbecue fundraiser.”

The health department visited Sandy Plains Baptist Church to see how the food was processed, Hill said.

“We hate to hear that anyone has gotten sick,” Hill said. “The health department said we were following FDA standards as far as temperatures go, so we are still trying to figure out what happened.”

Health officials say at least nine people have reported illnesses suspected to be salmonella after attending a recent local church barbecue that attracts about 5,000 people each year.

Sandy Plains Baptist Church in Shelby has hosted its barbecue fundraiser for about 50 years, Pastor Garin Hill said.

This year’s event was Sept. 7, and people started reporting illnesses in relation to the barbecue Tuesday, according to a Cleveland County Health Department news release.

Six Cleveland County residents and three Rutherford County residents have reported illnesses, and five people have been hospitalized, according to health officials.

“We don’t know yet how the people got sick,” said DeShay Oliver, coordinator of health services for the health department. “All of the illnesses have the common link of the barbecue fundraiser.”

The health department visited Sandy Plains Baptist Church to see how the food was processed, Hill said.

“We hate to hear that anyone has gotten sick,” Hill said. “The health department said we were following FDA standards as far as temperatures go, so we are still trying to figure out what happened.”

The illness is suspected to be salmonella, according to state health officials.

“Most people recover completely and many aren’t hospitalized,” Oliver said in reference to the effects of salmonella. “Other cases are more severe when people become dehydrated and they have to be hospitalized.”

Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps after 12 to 72 hours of infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We try to do our diligence by taking care of the food,” Hill said. “We feel like we are serving God by serving people here and want to find out about what’s going on.”

What should you do if you ate at the barbecue and got sick?

The Human Services Division of Public Health is investigating the Sandy Plains Baptist Church barbecue illness outbreak and has the following recommendations:

* If you attended the event and became ill with intestinal symptoms such as diarrhea or vomiting, consult your health care provider and inform them of your exposure at the event.

* People who took home food purchased at the fundraiser should discard it and not consume any remaining food.

* Health care providers should inform their local health department of any associated cases, whether confirmed or suspected.

* For more information, call the Cleveland County Health Department at 704-484-5100 or the Rutherford County Health Department at 828-287-6100.